The Court of Chancery issues a liberal ruling on creditor derivative standing and more obsequies for the “zone of insolvency.”
Chief Judge Leonard P. Stark of the District Court for the District of Delaware reversed and remanded the decision of the Bankruptcy Court which approved a Bankruptcy Rule 9019 settlement that Judge Stark concluded had been inadequately noticed under the circumstances.
On April 19, 2015, Frederick’s of Hollywood, Inc., a well-known retailer of women’s lingerie, filed for chapter 11 protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. In addition to the petition filed by Frederick’s, petitions were filed by five other related entities. The cases have been assigned to The Honorable Kevin Gross, and are docketed as case no. 15-10836.
The bankruptcy case of Energy Future Holdings (EFH) and its affiliates has already provided the Delaware bankruptcy court occasion to tackle a number of important bankruptcy questions, including the propriety of using tender offers to settle noteholder claims during the pendency of the case.
On April 7, 2015, Everyware Global, Inc. and 12 affiliates filed a prepackaged chapter 11 case in Delaware. Affiliates include such names as Oneida, Anchor Hocking, Kenwood Silver, Sakura and Universal Tabletop. The case is docketed as case no. 15-10743 and has been assigned to the Honorable Laurie Selber Silverstein. A chapter 11 plan and disclosure statement has been filed with the petition.
On April 6, 2015, Northwest Missouri Holdings, Inc. and three affiliates, filed voluntary chapter 11 petitions in Delaware. The three affiliates are Oregon Farmers Mutual Long Distance Inc., The Oregon Farmers Mutual Telephone Company and South Hold Cablevision, Inc. As of this post, only the petition is on file. The case is docketed as case no. 15-10728 and has been assigned to The Honorable Brendan Linehan Shannon.
Judge Christopher Sontchi issued a notable opinion last week in the bankruptcy case of Energy Future Holdings Corp., et al. (“EFH”), Case No. 14-10979 (D. Del.), ruling that the repayment in full of certain senior secured notes did not trigger an obligation by the debtors to pay a make-whole premium.
Anyone investing equity in an enterprise, whether creating a start-up or purchasing an established company, is a natural optimist. The hope is that the business will continue to perform well and yield its owners substantial profits year-after-year (and then maybe a hefty return upon exit). But, as those of us in restructuring know, not every company enjoys positive returns all the time. Businesses go through down cycles for different reasons – whether it be the overall economic climate (think 2008), issues specific to a particular industry (think dropping oil prices), a gr
Debt-for-equity swaps and debt exchanges are common features of out-of-court as well as chapter 11 restructurings. For publicly traded securities, out-of-court restructurings in the form of "exchange offers" or "tender offers" are, absent an exemption, subject to the rules governing an issuance of new securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1933 (the "SEA") as well as the SEA tender offer rules.
A recent Delaware District Court decision concerning an appeal of a bankruptcy settlement clearly provides support for the use of tender offers or other exchange, or settlement mechanics permitted under applicable federal securities laws prior to and outside a plan of reorganization. In essence, this decision permits debtors to utilize exchange offers to repurchase outstanding securities at a discount, or obtain more favorable terms during a bankruptcy proceeding and prior to confirmation of a plan of reorganization.
Case Summary